Alitalia nowadays

[SpottairBRU]

Hello fellow luchtzakkers,

I'll probably have to fly three times to Florence, Italy, next September. Starting to ook at the pricing, one of the cheapest options that often comes on several booking websites is Alitalia from BRU, via Rome (FCO) or Milano (LIN) from 155 to 191 EUR.

Direct flights with SN are more than double of the price (around 450 EUR), and LH ones via MUC or FRA are only 50 EUR cheaper. And for FR, one piece of checked-in luggage included (I'll have to check luggage), it comes around 234 EUR to Pisa, without counting the train to Firenze.

Options via nearby airport (DUS, CGN, EIN, AMS) are in the same range of price, counting the travelling costs to these airports.

So, I guess that as I won't win Euromillion by then, I'll probably book Alitalia flights. However, I heard/read some horror stories about Alitalia in the past (but also some good ones), and never having flown with them, I would like to know your experience if you flew with them recently. Comfort or service is not the most important for me for these flights, but rather reliability and punctuality, as well as how they react in case something goes wrong (eg flight cancellations, strikes).

Many thanks in advance.

PS: I took the risk of mentioning Ryanair, but please no FR bashing, this is not the aim of this tread

[andorra-airport]

Can you tell the exact days that you are flying? I took a quick look, and SN is cheap on most days in September. Perhaps you have to do same day returns?

[SpottairBRU]

Hi Andorra-airport!

Thanks for having looked!

Sorry, should have mentioned:
Trip 1: 01/09-02/09 (+/- 1 day)
Trip 2: 15/09-17/09
Trip 3: 28/09-30/09 (or can last longer, thinking of spending one week of holiday in Tuscany)

Each departure in the morning, and return in the afternoon.

When I did my research, I took the following dates: 01/09 - 30/09 (reason: this will be the days my fiancée will fly to/from Firenze, the other days being when I return to Belgium and/or come visit her).

When searching by each trip separately, SN has cheaper prices than above, but Alitalia also comes almost always as the cheapest, so the question will remain the same

[airazurxtror]

A few minutes ago, the total prices on Ryanair for CRL-PSA-CRL - including payment not by MasterCard Prepaid (+ 12 euros) and one piece of registered luggage (+ 50 euros) :
1-2 sept : 228 euros
15-17 sept : 164 euros
28-30 sept : 190 euros

[andorra-airport]

Yes, SN is expenisve on those days you mention, but I could find your second trip 15-17sep for 232,- with SN, on kayak. AZ is indeed very cheap, I would take the risk: I guess they will help you better when the flight is delayed or cancelled, then when you fly Ryanair.

[regi]

Alitalia is one of my 2 obsessions. I will refrain this time to repeat my stories.
But I can tell you that I am such a customer who mentioned that he will never use a specific airline again, has never used since, in casu AZ. ( so many people complain about all kind of airlines, but after all they still use it because of the low price. )

I have read some positive reports as well on different sites. I am happy for those passengers - and I am happy for Alitalia as well. ( despite my unrepairable distrust against them )

I suppose you have read the mixed reports on Skytrax:
http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/alit.htm
Sadly enough, your particular destination Florence is not without problems. A report says simply:"This is not the first time I have experienced the Alitalia bus from Rome to Florence."

OK, some strange prices:
1-/9: 130 $ by SNBA, but not bookable 247 $ with AZ.
15-17/9: 164 $ over Rome with AZ.
28-30/9: 248 € AF and...143 € over Venice and Rome ( 2 stops !) with AZ.

Look, it is completely up to you. I assume you will go for the AZ option. And in fact you should because of the price difference and being able to fly a national carrier. It is OK to read the reports, but you only have right to speak about it when you have experienced it.
And truly - most members won't believe me - I do really hope that you will have 3 good trips by AZ (airplane, not the coach ). And we are looking forward to read your reports.

[cnc]

A few minutes ago, the total prices on Ryanair for CRL-PSA-CRL - including payment not by MasterCard Prepaid (+ 12 euros) and one piece of registered luggage (+ 50 euros) :
1-2 sept : 228 euros
15-17 sept : 164 euros
28-30 sept : 190 euros

not much cheaper then full service airlines so it seems + all the more risk of being screwed if the flight is cancelled or delayed + you land 70km's farther away
btw i flew AZ a couple times in the last 20 months and i'd say its on pair with SN on the shorthaul segment

[regi]

A few minutes ago, the total prices on Ryanair for CRL-PSA-CRL - including payment not by MasterCard Prepaid (+ 12 euros) and one piece of registered luggage (+ 50 euros) :
1-2 sept : 228 euros
15-17 sept : 164 euros
28-30 sept : 190 euros

btw i flew AZ a couple times in the last 20 months and i'd say its on pair with SN on the shorthaul segment

so that is already an encouraging reply.

[regi]

I guess they will help you better when the flight is delayed or cancelled, then when you fly Ryanair.

I don't want to be too critical, and I do not wish to start to refocus on a particular LCC . But I have a genuine serious question because you use the word "guess": Does it mean that you have experience with mishaps with both companies? Or do you think "It went so bad with a certain LCC that it can't be worse?"
If it is the latter, I can tell you from my own experiences (plural) that with AZ, it can get much nastier than with some targeted LCC's.
So nasty that I will never use Alitalia again. I have used LCC's even after some bad experiences. But not that bad in general that I said "never again".
If I tell you that I would even fly Biman again - under some conditions ( e.g. being 100% sedated before departure ) - but never AZ, I think I cannot express my resentment against that airline in a harsher way.
The only way I can see myself on board of a AZ airplane is , or in a museum, or when I am abducted by Alitalians
But that is just me.
We just read here already 1 positive reply. I hope many more will follow so that SpottairBru quickly forgets about my resentment against AZ.

[cathay belgium]

Spotterair,

I have flown AZ to FCO this year,to CTA and AHO the year before without any problems.
They were always nice, punctual , free drink and cheap.
In 2 weeks again to CTA via FCO and next year to SVO via FCO, rockbottomprices !!

They fly mostly A319-320 and A321 to FCO.. if you're lucky you may still fly an MD82 or an E170/190 !!

Book it

CX-B

[cnc]

regi are your experiences with the new AZ? i have to agree the old AZ was horrible the last decade

[regi]

regi are your experiences with the new AZ? i have to agree the old AZ was horrible the last decade

The old AZ.

[regi]

Spotterair,

I have flown AZ to FCO this year,to CTA and AHO the year before without any problems.
They were always nice, punctual , free drink and cheap.
In 2 weeks again to CTA via FCO and next year to SVO via FCO, rockbottomprices !!

They fly mostly A319-320 and A321 to FCO.. if you're lucky you may still fly an MD82 or an E170/190 !!

Book it

CX-B

so we have another positive reply.
And yes, the MD-80 type for passengers is quickly disappearing from our European airports .
I do remember disembarking at the back through the belly. Just for that experience, it is worth enough to chose an airline that still flies the MD-80.

[SpottairBRU]

Hi everybody!

First, I thank you all for your replies! As I understand, the "old" Alitalia was to be avoided, while the new one seems to be better (well, can't be difficult if the old was on par with Biman ).

I think I'll give it a try, if the price differences with SN or LH justify it at the time of booking (still waiting for the approval of my days off).

A Mad-Dog would be great, but I would need to be extremely lucky

Again, many thanks to all of you!

PS: surely, if I choose AZ, I'll make a TR (maybe not as long as the one with LH earlier this year, though )

[sn26567]

You can also check my AZ trip reports of last year here on Luchtzak. Positive experience, and very helpful when a delay in a flight from Cagliari could have made the connection in Rome impossible: they made it possible!

[regi]

Well, that seems all to be going in the right direction for SpottairBru.
Btw Fabien: no B767 and no A310 ( or do you count it with the A300?,OK for me, I am not such a perfectionist)
No Russian birds and no B717. I know I tease you here

[SpottairBRU]

Btw Fabien: no B767 and no A310 ( or do you count it with the A300?,OK for me, I am not such a perfectionist)
No Russian birds and no B717. I know I tease you here

Hahaha, I've no problem with the teasing

I indeed count the A310 as a different type than the A300... And I strongly believe that it will appear in my signature in the coming year, unless a certain airline suddenly phase them out of their fleet...

B717 and 767, I know how I'll catch them, just need to put the money aside! Will also have to think of getting the B747

Russian birds, now that's where the challenge is!

Back to topic, I just learned I'll have to wait until the end of this month to know if I can get my holidays at that period... and book the flights. So if incidentally any of you comes accross nice deals on this route, you can make me happy by sharing them

[Treeper]

It seems like a long shot (uhum, a real long shot), and I don't know if one can do this, but hey, if it's possible, maybe it's cheaper?
So what I mean is:

Trip 1: 01/09 - 30/09 (BRU - FLR - BRU)
Trip 2: 02/09 - 15/09 (FLR - BRU - FLR)
Trip 3: 17/09 - 28/09 (FLR - BRU - FLR)
(I hope I didn't make a msitake, but it seems to be right)

iso

Trip 1: 01/09-02/09 (+/- 1 day) (BRU- FLR - BRU)
Trip 2: 15/09-17/09 (BRU- FLR - BRU)
Trip 3: 28/09-30/09 (BRU- FLR - BRU)

Should I have the time, I would check it myself, so anybody an idea on pricing, or if this scenario is even possible?

[andorra-airport]

@ Treeper

I had a quick look, but not cheaper. At least not with SN, maybe a bit with AZ. I'm not sure if AZ is happy with cross (back to back) tickets. In the past AMS-BSL tickets were 800 euro for same day return, it saved me hundreds of euro's via this construction. I never had problems, though...

[andorra-airport]

I guess they will help you better when the flight is delayed or cancelled, then when you fly Ryanair.

I don't want to be too critical, and I do not wish to start to refocus on a particular LCC . But I have a genuine serious question because you use the word "guess": Does it mean that you have experience with mishaps with both companies? Or do you think "It went so bad with a certain LCC that it can't be worse?"
If it is the latter, I can tell you from my own experiences (plural) that with AZ, it can get much nastier than with some targeted LCC's.

No, Regi, I have no experience with AZ, but it seems to me (my "guess") , that if you fly AZ inter europe to Italy (read: a national carrier to its own country), problems should be less in case of mishaps, then when you fly a LCC.

The "bus" story happened to me as well, with a spanish charter comming from Greece. Ended up with a bus ride from BRU to AMS because they had no landing rights or something like that. Long time ago.

Also long time ago I heard a story that an airline can not be forced to bring you from A to B with an airplane. Probably not true, but thats what I heard.